Crave Mobile Platform (acq by HCN) vs. Orana Stay:
Lequel vous convient le mieux ?

The Decision

Choosing between Crave Mobile Platform by Crave Interactive and Orana Stay by Orana Software hinges on your hotel's specific needs and priorities. Both products aim to enhance guest engagement through digital solutions, but they approach this goal differently—Crave focuses on comprehensive in-app services with extensive features, while Orana emphasizes automation and guest communication. Your decision should consider your current operational focus, desired features, and regional presence.

Crave’s platform offers a rich set of functionalities for guest service automation, especially in food and beverage ordering, with a strong customer base among hotels seeking to boost revenue and streamline operations. Orana's solution is more about simplifying communication and offering a branded app experience, particularly suited for boutique hotels prioritizing guest self-sufficiency. Which aligns more with your hotel’s strategic goals?

Is Crave Mobile Platform or Orana Stay Better for Hotels?

Both products serve as digital guest engagement tools but differ significantly in scope and sophistication. Crave's platform provides 18 exclusive features, such as mobile checkout, QR codes, contactless ordering, and POS integration, making it ideal for hotels seeking comprehensive service automation. Conversely, Orana primarily offers guest communication, booking, and information features, with only one unique feature, guest profiles.

Crave's robust feature set caters well to larger or full-service hotels aiming to increase revenue through upselling and contactless transactions. Orana’s simplicity and focus on communication make it perfect for boutique or small hotels that want a straightforward, branded app without complex operational integrations. Do you need extensive service features, or is a streamlined communication app enough?

Crave’s extensive regional presence across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East suggests a mature, globally oriented solution. Orana’s reach is more concentrated, with a focus on Australia, Asia Pacific, and Central America, making it a better fit if regional support matters. Are you looking for a platform with proven international deployment or one more tailored to your local market?

Another critical difference is review recency and volume. Crave’s 48 recent reviews with high ratings (4.75/5 overall) reflect strong current user satisfaction. Orana’s two reviews are older and less detailed, offering less confidence in recent performance. Which product has more recent, validated feedback?

Edge: Crave Mobile Platform.

Crave Mobile Platform vs Orana Stay: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a highly customizable, feature-rich guest app that integrates with multiple hotel systems to drive ancillary revenue, Crave is the clear choice. Its 18 exclusive features include web-based access, mobile checkout, in-venue ordering, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and POS integrations—capabilities that can elevate guest experience and operational efficiency.

If your hotel prioritizes simplicity, cost-efficiency, and a focus on communication rather than extensive service features, Orana is better. Its streamlined platform, with its single unique feature—guest profiles—and emphasis on messaging, maps, and bookings, helps boutique hotels improve guest self-sufficiency without the complexity or cost of a broader solution.

Crave’s larger, more diverse hotel user base, including luxury, branded, and city center hotels, demonstrates its scalability and depth. Orana’s boutique hotel focus indicates a niche solution ideal for properties wanting a straightforward, branded guest app with essential features.

Choosing Crave suits properties aiming for deeper engagement and upselling; Orana fits those seeking a simple, branded communication tool that enhances guest convenience. Which approach aligns with your hotel's operational strategy?

Is Crave or Orana Easier to Use?

Crave’s platform has a high ease-of-use rating of 4.61/5, with many users praising its user-friendly interface for both staff and guests. Onboarding is also rated positively at 4.57/5, with clients highlighting helpful setup and support staff.

Orana Stay claims a perfect 5/5 ease rating, emphasizing its straightforward, intuitive interface that requires minimal training. Reviewers commend the simplicity of updates and the convenience of the app for guests, making adoption quick and easy.

While Crave’s interface is well-regarded, some users mention that its back-end system could be more modern and intuitive, which may require more staff training and support. Orana’s minimalist design and high usability score suggest less onboarding effort.

Edge: Orana Stay.

Which Has Better Features: Crave or Orana?

Crave’s platform offers 18 features exclusive to its solution, including web-based access, mobile checkout, QR codes, contactless ordering, Apple Pay, Google Pay, POS integration, curbside pickup, tipping, and upselling. These enable a fully integrated, contactless service environment, ideal for hotels seeking operational automation and revenue growth.

Orana provides only one exclusive feature—guest profiles—focusing mainly on communication, bookings, maps, and weather updates. Its feature set is limited but sufficient for boutique hotels prioritizing guest self-sufficiency and direct communication.

Crave’s broader feature suite makes it more capable of supporting complex service workflows and revenue-generating initiatives. Orana’s leaner feature set suits hotels that want a simple, branded app for basic engagement.

Edge: Crave Mobile Platform.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Crave or Orana?

Crave’s support team boasts a high rating of 4.79/5, with reviews emphasizing quick, helpful responses and proactive service. Hoteliers frequently praise Crave’s technical team for resolving issues promptly, with comments like, "ServeSafely speeds up table service, and customer success is incredible."

Orana also scores a perfect 5/5 for customer support, with clients describing the communication as easy, quick, and effective. Their Australian-based team is praised for responsiveness, especially during implementation.

Given the more extensive review base, Crave’s consistently high ratings and recent feedback enhance confidence in its support quality. Both solutions are strong, but Crave’s larger customer base and recent reviews suggest a slight edge.

Edge: Crave Mobile Platform.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Crave or Orana?

Crave’s overall rating of 4.75/5 from 48 reviews, including recent feedback, shows strong user satisfaction across diverse hotel types. Luxury hotels and branded properties particularly rate it highly, with some reviews mentioning increased revenue and improved guest engagement.

Orana’s two reviews are older, with no current ratings or recent feedback, making it difficult to assess recent satisfaction levels. The limited review count and lack of detailed scores suggest less confidence in its current performance.

Crave’s higher review volume and recent positive ratings make it the more validated choice among hoteliers.

Edge: Crave Mobile Platform.

How Much Do Crave and Orana Cost?

Both products are priced at a base fee of $400, with no mention of freemium models, monthly flat fees, or implementation charges. Their pricing structures are straightforward, making comparison easy.

However, additional costs like hardware, integrations, or customizations may vary depending on your hotel’s needs, so discussing specific requirements with vendors is advisable.

Since both are similarly priced, the choice hinges more on features and support rather than cost.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Crave?

• Hotels that want extensive service automation, especially food and beverage ordering.
• Properties aiming to increase revenue via upselling and contactless payment.
• Hotels with a sizable or diverse guest base, including luxury, branded, or city center hotels.
• Hotels seeking integration with existing POS and hotel management systems.
• Properties prepared for a more complex implementation with dedicated support.

Not ideal if your hotel is small, boutique, or prefers straightforward communication without extensive features.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Orana?

• Boutique hotels or small properties prioritizing guest self-sufficiency.
• Hotels that want a simple, branded app to replace printed info or directories.
• Hotels focused on contactless guest experience with minimal operational complexity.
• Properties looking for quick adoption and easy updates without extensive integrations.
• Hotels that benefit from a localized support team, especially in Australia or nearby regions.

Not ideal if you require advanced service automation, complex integrations, or detailed analytics.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Crave’s platform excels at delivering a comprehensive, feature-rich guest engagement experience with robust integrations. Its large review volume, recent positive feedback, and extensive regional presence make it a dependable choice for hotels seeking operational automation and revenue uplift.

Orana offers a streamlined, easy-to-use app focused on communication, bookings, and guest convenience. It’s ideal for boutique hotels that value simplicity and quick implementation but may lack the depth of features and integrations necessary for larger properties.

If your hotel’s priority is sophisticated service automation, upselling, and extensive integration, Crave is the clear winner. Conversely, if your focus is on guest communication, ease of use, and a branded experience without complex operational needs, Orana is suitable.

Ultimately, your choice should reflect your hotel’s size, operational goals, and regional support preferences.